A former Southwest Zonal Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Rahman Owokoniran, has dismissed reports naming him among PDP stalwarts who recently defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), clarifying that he is a coalition leader in Lagos State and not part of the group that switched parties.

In a statement on Tuesday signed by his media aide, Rasheed Giwa, Owokoniran explained that he was invited by the coalition leadership to lead the Lagos delegation to the ADC unveiling ceremony.

It would be recalled that some PDP stalwarts, including Dr. Abimbola Ogunkelu, Captain Shelle, and Niyi Adams, officially defected to the ADC on Saturday, where they were received by the party’s National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, and State Chairman, George Ashiru, among others.

Reacting to reports linking him to the group, Owokoniran said the claims were false and cautioned against inaccurate political reporting.

“Politicians are in the habit of selling misleading stories to unsuspecting journalists who publish without cross-checking,” he stated.

“For the avoidance of doubt, I resigned from the PDP on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, and was formally received into the ADC days later at the party office in Lagos, where I was issued my party card.

“As a coalition leader, I have since swung into action, working with other leaders to initiate the Coalition Influencers, a grassroots mobilization strategy that brought ADC into the forefront of Lagos politics.”

Owokoniran emphasized that he had already conducted extensive mobilization efforts across several local governments in Lagos alongside Aregbesola and Ashiru before last Saturday’s event, which he said was “misreported and taken out of context.”

He also shared a congratulatory message he sent to new ADC members, which read in part:

“My heartwarming thoughts and appreciation go to all who have decided to join the fight against tyranny, oppression, and threats to our democracy. We’ve long awaited your arrival and look forward to building a movement that guarantees liberty, security, and prosperity for all Nigerians.”

Owokoniran urged journalists to maintain accuracy and caution in political reporting, warning that “little distortions like this can mislead the public, undermine elections, and damage our democracy.”